Travel with Intention

In June this year, we were fortunate enough to visit Peru, accompanied by one of our dear friends and talented photographer, Monroe Alvarez. Mo captured the sheer beauty and solitude of our 11-day trip on film and the prints are available to buy here. 

A portion of the trip was spent with the Q'eros people, an indigenous group of llama and alpaca herders, potato farmers, and weavers who are considered to be the wisdom keepers of the Andes. We drove 7 hours into the mountains to spend time with them. With no electricity, no running water, and a very limited diet (made up mostly of potatoes they grow for themselves) they are some of the happiest, kindest, most welcoming people I have ever met. Even with our language barrier, they welcomed us in with open arms.

 This experience was possible thanks to the Peruvian NGO Willka Yachay (Quechua for sacred wisdom), which was founded by Hannah Rae Porst's in 2012. Hannah set up this non-profit organization to develop education for the young people of Q’eros; helping them to understand their history and rights, avoid exploitation and build meaningful lives while developing their communities. Read more about the Q'ero people, and Willka Yachay's incredible work here. 

We will forever be humbled and inspired by this incredible experience and couldn't recommend it more to those of you craving a trip with true purpose.